Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-12
TIE DEVILS GRAVEYARD.

~" If ever l die with my boots on, bows,
I'd like for to hev yer plant me up thar in
the Devils graveyard, jest whar the shad-
der from ole Skullcap teches at sunrise.
I've put it to my pard an he's promised to
see to it, but one can't most alters tell
what's goin' to happen in this world, an
he's as apt to kerfiunk as be- I reckon
the camp kin afford to do that much for
the man what struck color here fust. swar
that I'll come back and ha'nt the hull
cussed lot of ye if yer don't! Ye hear me
now-jest at sunrise, right at the pint OF
the shadder"
lord, Jim, ye can't think but what
we'd all be mighty glad to do that for We p
uttered a burly miner, reproachfuIly, and
the sentiment was Endorsed by an enthusi
astic Yu betp from the crowd.
And now Jim Hardtack had died with
his boots on-not in the regular way, ex-
actIy, by having daylight let through
him. no Jim simply failed to show up
one evening in his usual place at the Skin
me-quick barroom, and the BOYS, after
some waiting and wondering. sailed forth
to besiege his cabin and found him lust as
he had returned from work, with a knife
in one hand and fitch of bacon on the
plank table before him, sitting bolt up
right in his chair, stone dead.
The first thought was of foul play, but
examination failed to show so much as a
scratch upon him, so it was concluded
that he had had stroke of some kind ; it
mattered little to these rough men what
the cause of his death might have been
that he was dead was enough; funeral
was in order, and it was their duty to see
that his wishes were carried out.
" Sort o hard on Fishy not to be here
now" said one, abiding to Hardtack's
partner. Fishy was off on a tramp-he
was given to tramping-and if the truth
had been told it was he, and not Jim
Hardtack, who had located these dig
gings; but Fisby was mild, little, inof-
fensive man, who would have been "put
upon " by the camp but for the fact that
he was under Jim's protecting care
Reckon we don't need to wait for
him ?" commented another of the boys in
a MISUNDERSTANDING tone.
d" In course not. Who's to tell when
he'll be back? Well all on US keep Jim
here company tonight, an give him the
best layout we know how in the morn
ing"
SO it was arranged. They were not in
the habit Of letting the grass grow under
their feet when they had anything to do
in the camp, from running out an unde-
sirable citizen or hanging horse thief to
this matter of doing honor to the camps
founder, as they all considered him, and II
they relieved the tedium of the night by
numerous games of old sledge and draw
poker, it was in no spirit of levity or disre-
gard for the dead. 1t was another token
of the favor in which he was held that
every man there took his turn to drive q
nail into the rough pine box which was to
do duty as coffin.
With the first gray of the breaking
dawn they formed into procession and
tramped soberly up the steep trail to the
little triangular strip of ground which wa;
known as the Devils graveyard. Not tina,
his Satanic majesty or any one else hao
ever occupied it as burial place, but il
was thickly strewn with fragments O.
whitish rock which were suggestive O
tombstones, and so the name had been giyer
to it. They came out upon the small pla
teau before the sun broke through the
mists of the morning and stood about II
groups until the red and yellow streak:
changed to one full burst of golden glory
Then two Of the miners seized upon theil
spades and began to dig at the edge of tn,
shadow which was cast by the rounded
crest of old Skullcap.
1t was hard work in that dry, rocky soil
and the sun was shining hot before the task
was done. There was momentary paus.
in the proceedings andss then Dan Muller
stepped to the head of the open grave.
q Is any of you boys parson enough tc
say a bit OF a pra'r? Not Wal, / couldn't
tackle but one myself, an Now I lay me-
don't seem to be jest the thing, but
wouldn't like to plant Jim without sayin
suthin' for him. You all know what he
wor-a square man, grit to the backbone
as ready to divvy his last fapjack with a
friend as to shoot foe. say, Larkey
what are you up TOP"
Larkey had picked up bit of the loose
red clay dug from the grave, and was rub.
bing it between his thumb and finger. A
start and a whoop from him cut short
clamation.
Color, boys, and lots of it."
The words were scarcely out of his
mouth before the miner who had teen
last in the grave tumbled hack into it, and
with his spade began scraping and prying
at the resisting rock, while the Others
crowded around the heap of clay, tasting
and testing it. Presently he brought uI
a heavy handful of dull yellowish hue
He was white as death and trembled all
over as he muttered:
A nugget nugget, An took it for
a niggerhead when | was diggin' afore
Boys, this ere's my claim. Git back while
| stake it out"
A howl arose
Not much. Jake an me did fust dig
GIN. We go pards and take fust chico
Instantly hands dropped upon weaponi
and sowing looks went around, but Oar
Mullen quelled the threatening outbreai
with few cool, well-directed words
Seems to me. boys, we'd better finish
the job we hev on hand afore we pervidt
more of the same sort. Jim Hardtack'.
goin' to git buried, an the chap what goe.
to stakin' out a claim afore that's done he,
got to answer to me fur it."
Dan meant business, and they knew it
Even the nugget-finder gave in.
"Al right, so you don't bury hin
here
a reckon as none of US II make that
pint now Thar's dip back here, an :
lx-f r,-
it is. S'pose We put him thar"
! All agreed. The rough coffin was low
cred into the crevice which Dan pointed
out, heavy pieces of rock were rolled dowr
upon it, and the whole was topped off witt
| pile of hastily -shoveled earth.
Then excitement reigned; there was no